Attachment for moving-picture machines.



N. H. CLARKE. ATTACHMENT FOR MOVING PICTURE MACHINES.

APPLIGATION FILED APR. 19, 1912.

1,087,638. Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N. H. CLARKE.

ATTACHMENT FOR MOVING PICTURE MACHINES.

APPLIGATIGN FILED APR.19, 1912,

1,087,638; Patented Feb. 17, 1914..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WNW/aw! UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NELSON H. CLARKE, or CINCINNATI, OHIO.

ATTACHMENT FOR MOVING-PICTURE MACHINES.

I Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed April 19, 1912. Serial No. 691,894.

Patented Feb; 17, 19-14.

To all zmmmit may concern lie it known that I, NELSON H. CLARKE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, county of Hamilton, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Attachments for Movinglicture Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference to have a blank space within the area of the picture, in order that an object or scene painted, pro ected from another machine, actually constructed, or otherwise depicted,

may appear surrounded by the ever-varying scenes of the film, thus producing various illusory efi'ects of'a character well known in the art. In the exhibitions heretofore produced wherein such illusory effects have been employed, the blank space has been obtained by blocking out a part of the aperture through which the rays are projected, the block being attachedby .a narrow strip to the sides of the aperture. In such a con struction, however, the narrow strip as well as the block, will intercept certain of the rays, and thus the desired blank space onv the screen willappear connected by a blank strip to the extremity of the picture.- \Vhile this is of little importance, and practically immaterial, in exhibitions where the object orcupying the blank space is supposed to rest or to travel upon the ground, numerousdctails being available to fill in the blank strip harmoniously, it is an objection of vital importance where the object is i supposed to liont in the atmosphere, as, for instance,

where it-is desired to depict a balloon or aeroplane in operation. In depicting such devices, it is vitally important, in eficcting the intended illusion, that the blank space occupied by the aeroplane or balloon be not connected by any (mrresponding blank space, or line, to the edges of the picture. as the scenicefi'ects of the film must entirely surround the object.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide means whereby such a blank space within the area of a picture may be. produced without any connectingblank between said part of the adjustin arm;

front of the lamp house; Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the same attached to the aperture plate, between said plate and the projection lens; Fig. 3 is a section on'line a/a of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective of the su porting bracket; Fig. 5-is a perspective of a ig. 6 is a plan of another part of e adjusting arm; Fig. 7 is a modification showing my .device'attached to the base'ofa moving picture machine instead of to the gate; Fig. 8 is a plan of the supporting arm employed. in "said modification; Fig. 9'is a view showing the effect of the use of my device on the picture.

screen. a

The numeral 1 indicates the lamp house of. a moving picture machine, in which the condensing lens 2 is shown in dotted lines. The raysof light from the lamp house are con densed by said lens, or converge, to the point of focus, which is approximately the aperturc 3 in the aperture plate 4, and are thence projected, passing through the 'film,5, which travels past the aperture 3 in the well-known manner, by the projection lens 6, onto a screen 6". Attached to the gate 7, which is a part of the moving picture machine, is the plate 8, having an aperture 9 registering with the aperture in the gate and aperture plate. Saul plate may be mod fied in shape and outline so as to fit the gate of the particular nmchinc to which it is desiredio attach the same; or, the gates of machines being readily removable, the plate may be permanently attached to a gate, and said gate substituted, when it isdesired to use the attachment; for the gate ordinarily en1-' )l()y0(l. Attached to said plate is the supporting bracketf)", which has a flange 10 at the top and a similar flange 11 at the bottom, said flanges being perforated to receive the threaded bolt 12, which is rigidly secured therein against turning by thenuts 13. Said bracketis rabbeted at the back, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, and has a rectangular openusting arm turned flanges ing 14 narrower than said rabbet. The ad- 7 15 is formed integrally with a plate 16, which plate isv wider than said arm and is adapted to fit into the rabbet in the back of the bracket 9" and to slide vertically therein. At the bottom of the plate 16 is a flange 17 said flange and the arm 15 are perforated, as shown at 18 and 19, and the bolt 12 passes loosely therethrough.

On the bolt 12, between the arm 15 and the flange 17, is a nut 20, which travels on said bolt, carrying with it the arm 15. On the arm 15 is a rack bar 21; the end of said bar nearest the lamp house being pivoted to said arm, and the opposite end thereof having a pin 22, which fits through a curved slot in the arm 15, thus permitting said end of the rack to be moved laterally in either direction. The rack bar 21 has inwardly 25 in which the plate 24, carrying the pinion 25, is adapted to ride. On the plate 24:, a rod 26 is mounted. Said rod extends upwardly from said plate and then forward, approximately to the aperture 3. Attached to the end of the rod 26 is the block 27; said block may be of any desired shape, but should conform in general to the outline of the object which it is desired depict in the blank space in the picture. In the drawings I have shown said block conforming to the general outline of a balloon carrying a car for passengers. The block may be constructed of any opaque material, or may, as I prefer, be constructed of mica, blackened so as to be entirely opaque generally, but shaded away to semi-translucency at the edges, thus preventing too much sharpness of outline. The arm 15 is pivot- .ally jointed at 28, so that the horizontal portion of the rod 26 may be in proper alinement with reference to the block 27 to cast its shadow on said block.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings I have shown a method of attaching my new device to a moving picture machine between the aperture plate and the projecting lens 6, in which case the efie'ct is precisely the same as when the same is attached between the gate and the lamp house as above described. In the modified attachment shOWn in Fig. 2, the device ispreferablflinverted, as shown, in order that the nut 20 and other adjusting means may be more readily accessible to the operator. In this method of attachment, the plate 8 is attached to the aperture plate l as shown.

In Fig. 7 I of my device attached to the base of a machine, in which manner it may be preferable at times to attach the same. The numeral 29 indicates the base of a machine.

Attached to said base is one flange of a hinge 30. Permanently secured to the other flange of said hinge is a bar 31. Said bar is formed, near the end, with an angle, as

have shown a modified form shown at' 32, and the end of the bar has a slot 33, shown in Fig. 8, into which a bolt 34, attached to the hinge 30, projects when the attachment is in position for use as shown in Fig. 7. A winged nut screws onto the bolt 34, and by crossing the wings thereof over the sides of the slot 33 the bar 51 is fixedly secured in position. Near the free end of said bar, the same is formed with a double angle, as shown in Fig. 8, the rack bar 21 being attached bar 31, in the same manner as heretofore described. It will thus be perceived, that, by turning the winged nut so that the slot 33 will clear the same, the attachment may be lowered, and thus be out of the way of the rays from the lamp house and in position where it will not interfere with the ordinary operation of the machine.

The operation of my invention is as follows: Suppose, for instance, that it is desired to present the illusion of a balloon with persons in the car afloat in the clouds. The necessary structure is built, projected from another machine, or otherwise illustrated, in the manner familiar in the art. A suitable slide, or'iilm, showing clouds is employed and my attachment affixed to the machine. When thus atlixed-to the machine the block 27 will be approximately in the conjugate focal plane of the projection lens occupied by the slide, or film, and it will thus be projected upon the screen 6 as a blank space 36 in the image, of the general shape of a balloon with a car, in which space the scene prearranged will appear surrounded by the scenic effects of the slide,

or film. The vertical portion of the rod 26, being at a distance from the conjugate foci of the projection lens, particularly from the conjugate focal plane occupied. by the film or slide, its effect upon the projected rays will be so slight and of such a nature as to produce no appreciable shade in the image produced on the screen. To cause the block to move vertically, and hence the blank space to move up and down on the screen, to ac commodate itself to actual movement of the structure or other illustrated scene occupying said blank space, the nut 20 is turned either to the rightor to the left, raising or lowering the same on the bolt 12 and carrying with it the arm 15 and rod 26. When it is desired to move the blank space laterally in the area ofthe picture, the plate 21 is simply revolved on its pivotal mounting, the pin 22 traveling in, and being limited in movement by, the arc of the curved slot in the arm 15. At times it is desirable to have the blank space fade from, or become less distinct in, the picture, and when this is desired, the pinion 25 is revolved in the appropriate direction, causing the block 27 to recede from the aperture 3, the blank space produced thereby becoming less distothe part of said tinct in proportion as the distance between the block-and focal center or film becomes greater.

While I have shown my device specifically as attached to a moving picture ma chine, it will be readily understood that the same may be applied with a like efiect to any other picture projecting machine, and I therefore do not limit myself to its application to a moving picture machine but coutemplate within the scope of my invention its application also to other picture projection machines.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination with a picture projecting machine, means located approximately in one of the conjugate foci of the projection lens, whereby certain of the rays of light employed by'said machine are blocked out and a blank space is produced within the area of the image produced by said machine, and means to support said blocking means, said supporting means extending from said blocking means substantially along the optical axis of the rays of light intercepted thereby and crossing the effective portion of the rays at a distance from said focus.

2. In combination with a pictureprojecting machine, means located approximately in one of the conjugate foci of the projection lens, whereby certain of the rays of light employed by said machine are blocked out and a blank space .is produced within the area of the image produced by said machine, means to support said blocking means, said supporting means extending from said blocking means substantially alongthe optical axis of the rays of light intercepted thereby and crossing the effective portion of therays at a distance from said focus, and means for causing said blocking means to move whereby said blank space maybe caused to move within the area of said image.

3. In combination with a picture projecting machine, means located approxima ely in one of the conjugate foci of the projection lens, whereby certain of the rays of light employed by said machine are blocked out and a blank space is produced within the area of the image produced by'said machine, means to support said blocking means, said supporting means extending from said blocking means substantially along the optical axis of the rays of light intercepted thereby and crossing the effective portion of the rays at a distance from said focus, and means to cause said blocking means to change its position relative to said focus, whereby said blank space may be caused to grow more or 'less distinct. with reference to said image.

l. In combination with a picture projecting machine, means located approximately in one of the conjugate foci of the projection lens, whereby certain of .the rays of light employed by said machine are blocked out and a blank space is produced within the area of the image produced by said machine, means to support said blocking-means, said supporting means extend-' ing from said blocking means substantially along the optical axis of-the rays of light intercepted thereby and crossing the effective portion of the rays at a distance from said focus, means for causing said blocking means to 'move, whereby said blank space may be caused to move within the area of said image and means to cause said blocking means to change its position relative to said focus, whereby said blank space is caused to grow more or less distinct with reference to said image.

5. In combination with a picture projecting machine, a block located approximately in one of the conjugate foci of the projection lens, whereby certain of the rays of light employed by said machine are'intercepted and a blank space is produced Within the area of the image produced by said machine, and a rod to support said block, said rod comprising a portion extending from said block substantially along the optical axis of the rays of light intercepted thereby to, and a second portion crossing the effective portion of the rays at, a distance from said focus.

6. In combination with a picture projecting machine, a block located approximately in one of the conjugate foci of the projection len's, whereby certain of .the rays of light employed by said machine are intercepted and a blank space is produced within the area of the image produced by said machine, a rod to support said block, said rod comprising a portion extending from said block substantially along the optical axis of the rays of light intercepted there- I by to, and a second portion crossing the effective portion of the rays at, a distance from said focus, and means to move said block, whereby said blank space may be caused tomove within the area of said image.

7. In combination with a picture projecting machine, a block located approximately in. one of the conjugate foci of the projection lens, whereby certain of the rays of light employed by said machine are inter-' cepted and a blank space is produced within the area of the image produced by said machine, a rod to support said block, said rod comprising a portion extending from said block substantially along the optical axis of the rays of light intercepted thereby to,

and a second portion crossing the effective I portion of the rays at, a distance. from said Aft.

focus, and means; to cause said block to change its position relative to said focus, whereby said blank S1306 may be caused to grow more 01' less distinct with reference to 'said ii'uag e.

8. In fifillibinfli'im'l wiih a picture projecting nmchinc :1 block iecuted u 'i noxin'iutel in one of ihe conjugate feci of the projcc tion lens, wherein certain of the rays of iig'ht employed by iid machine are intiercepted and u bin k space is produced Within the area of the image produced by said machine, a rod to support said Meek, said 12nd comprising a pni'tien extending fi'mn said iiieck suhstuntiuiiy idlingthe opiicui axis 01' j the. rays of light intercepted thereby t;0, and a second pcrfiion crossing the effective pew tion of the rays at, a disiunce from said feces, means to move Said biock, whereby said blank space may he caused to move Within the area of said image, and means to cause said block to change its position reiniZiVB to said focus, whereby said hhinic space may he caused to grow more 01. icse distinct with reference to said image.

NELSON ii. CLARKE.

Witi'iessea ARTHUR H. Eivnnn, v Fiucnii 3. Wnxmnn: 

